WICKED WITCH'S BREW Halloween Cocktail

"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." Shakespeare, Hamlet: Act 4, Scene 1

You can't do Halloween cocktails without at least one nod to a witch's brew, right?  Since I found a perfect drink sized witch's cauldron this year, I figured it was time to do my own version of a bubbling cauldron of witchy wassail.
My cocktail recipe is an adaptation of Charles Schumann's Apple Sunrise created at Schumann’s Bar in Munich in 1980. I thought it would make a great witch's wassail type brew, plus I had the Calvados and the crème de cassis at hand.

WICKED WITCH'S BREW A Calvados, Crème de Cassis and Apple Cider Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 Oz. Calvados (Apple Brandy) 1/2 Oz. Crème De Cassis  3/4 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 5 Oz. Fresh Apple Cider 2 Tablespoons Pasteurized Egg Whites Ice
Garnish: 2 Dashes Cardamom Bitters, Assorted Body Parts Gummy Candies, Dusting of Fresh Nutmeg, Straws
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Witch's Cauldron or Rocks Glass
DIRECTIONS Shake ingredients without ice for a minimum of a minute to emulsify the egg white and build the foam. (Alternatively, you may use a blender for this step.) Shake cocktail with ice to chill then strain into the ice filled cauldron or an ice filled rocks glass. Tap the bitters onto the foam, add several of the body part gummies, a lemon twist, straws and serve.
If you really want to make this brew bubble, add a large chunk of dry ice to your glass before adding the regular ice. The regular ice will keep the dry ice from accidentally being sipped in. Handle the dry ice with tongs or gloves to prevent burns.
A Little About Witches
Since the beginning of time, man has had a fear of strong, powerful women. So much so that a name was invented to classify, imprison, torture and kill them. The term "witch" stems from the old English term "wicce", a word applied to those who practiced "magic" the occult and even those who practiced healing arts. In other words, abilities and practices people didn't understand were termed witchcraft and dealt with according to current religious beliefs. Though males were sometimes a target of this type of discrimination, most often the victims were female. In male-dominated societies, unusual power and abilities in women were seen as dangerous and evil and quickly dealt with so as not to upset the status quo. Though we no longer persecute witches, at least in a legal or societal area, the term is still applied to women as a negative and pejorative description.

   
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NOSFERATU'S REVENGE A Wine, Pomegranate & Ginger Halloween Cocktail

I've done a few Vampire cocktails for Halloween, a garlic infused Vampire's Kiss, a cherry and pomegranate True Blood Martini, a Bloody Mary style Dracula's Bloody Martini, and even a spiced grape and black vodka Transylvanian Cocktail; however I've not done a cocktail nod to one of the most ancient vampiric legends, Nosferatu.

This vampire became famous as Count Orlok in a 1922 film of the same name, but the legend goes back to the mists of time and Romanian folklore. The name itself comes from the Romanian Nesuferitu ("the insufferable/repugnant one") or Necuratu ("unclean spirit") and came into use sometime in the mid to late 1800's.

Since I stumbled on a very cool bottle of Vampire Red wine, in an even cooler coffin box package, I thought I'd make the poor blood sucking guy a drink to suit his mood.

Poor guy. Called unclean, reviled as repugnant, feared for his nasty nocturnal habits. He is probably incredibly thirsty by now and mad as heck.

NOSFERATU'S REVENGEA Wine, Pomegranate & Ginger Halloween Cocktail
INGREDIENTS2 Oz. Vampire Red Winemaker's Blend3/4 Oz. Blackberry Brandy1 Oz. Pomegranate Juice1/2 Oz. Ginger Simple Syrup
Garnish: Pomegranate Slice, Toy Vampire Fangs
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Cocktail (Martini)
DIRECTIONSAdd the red wine, pomegranate juice, ginger simple syrup and blackberry brandy to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.Shake until chilled, strain into the chilled glass, garnish and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY .... and be very careful who you invite into your home.
Updated 10-2025

DRUNK SKELETONS PEAR INFUSED BOURBON NEW YORK SOUR HALLOWEEN COCKTAIL

Everyone has a few skeletons in the closet. Mine are just drunk.
They're quite annoying little guys who keep me awake at night with their rattling and rowdy antics. They make great party guests on Halloween and Day of the Dead though.

TheDRUNK SKELETONS IN THE CLOSETCocktailA Red Pear New York Sour
INGREDIENTS1.5 Oz. Pear Infused Blanton's Bourbon(Instructions below.)1 Oz. La Catrina Vino Cabernet Sauvignon1 Tablespoon Honey Ridge Farms Honey Creme Lemon1 Tablespoon Hot Water1 Oz. Fresh Red Pear Juice1 FRESH Egg White(or 2 Tablespoons Pasteurized Egg White)
Garnish: Dried Pear Slice (Recipe below), Homemade Bourbon Cherries
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Cocktail
DIRECTIONSTake a tablespoon of Honey Ridge Farms Honey Créme Lemon and thin to a syrup consistency with a tablespoon of hot water.Pour all the ingredients except the red wine into a cocktail shaker without ice and dry shake to emulsify the egg and create a foam.Shake again with ice to chill then strain into a chilled glass.Float the red wine gently on the top of the cocktail, garnish and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

PEAR INFUSED BOURBON(Feel free to use regular bourbon if you don't have the time to make the pear infused version, but if you do it really finishes the pear flavor of the cocktail.)
Wash, dry, core and slice 4 red Anjou pears into eight slices each, add them to a large Mason jar. Pour in a fifth of bourbon and let infuse for a week minimum, shake and taste every day. Strain into a clean bottle or Mason jar. If you allow this to infuse for a week or two longer it mellows out nicely.
DRIED PEAR SLICES(Also works for oranges, lemons, limes and apples.)Cut your fruit into slices approximately 1/4" thick.Place the slices onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.Dry in the oven at 200 Fahrenheit for 2-3 hours, each fruit will dry at different cooking times so check every hour. When the fruit has dried to a leather consistency, turn off heat and leave in the oven to cool.Store in plastic bags or covered container.

Updated 10-2025 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

RAVEN'S WING Pomegranate Orange Halloween Cocktail

A couple of Halloweens ago I wrote a little horror poem, "THE HALLOWEEN VISITATION, A Cocktale of Horror and Vodka", about ravens knock, knock, knocking at my door begging for my Crystal Head Vodka. For some reason I didn't create a cocktail to accompany that Edgar Allan Poe parody. Time to correct that right now.

I wanted a dark cocktail with a purple cast to it, like raven feathers, and something fruity but tart. Something ravens, and people, might like their Crystal Head Vodka with. Maybe if I named a cocktail after them those darned birds would leave my nightmares alone.

The

RAVEN'S WING Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 1 Oz. Crystal Head Vodka 1/4 Oz. Cointreau 1-1/2 Oz. Pomegranate Juice 1 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 2 Tablespoons B'Lure Butterfly Pea Flower Essence 3 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters Large Ice Cubes Ice
Garnish: Lemon Twist, Pomegranate Slice, Raven Cocktail Pick, Black & White Straw
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Old Fashioned
DIRECTIONS Chill glass in freezer. Add all the ingredients, EXCEPT the B'Lure and the large ice cube(s), into an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Add the large ice cubes to the chilled glass, pour the cocktail over the ice. Add the B'Lure over the back of a spoon down the inside of the glass, do NOT stir but allow it to settle at the bottom. Garnish and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

Updated 10-2025 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

DEM BONES, DEM BONES Chocolate Wine & Vodka Mocha Shake Cocktail for Halloween

Crystal Head Vodka. Just perfect for Halloween. Perfect anytime, but Halloween is seriously skull bottle and vodka friendly.
I get into the skeletal spirit again this year, but while everyone else is zigging with the typical bloody tomato juice vodka drink, I decided to zag that seven times distilled Crystal Head Vodka into a coffee and chocolate wine frozen libation. The beautiful skull bottle and that Herkimer diamond filtered vodka deserve a little zing, plus those poor bones in the graveyard need a little wake-me-up to get rattling along.
"Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk around." ~ James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938)

Oh, DEM BONES, DEM BONES Chocolate Wine & Vodka Mocha Shake for Halloween
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz. Crystal Head Vodka 1-1/2 Oz. Chocovine Chocolate Wine, Original 1 Oz. Half & Half 1 Tsp. Instant Espresso Powder 1 Tablespoon Turbinado Rich Simple Syrup* 2 Drops Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters 2 Drops Angostura Orange Bitters 4 Regular Ice Cubes 5 Coffee Ice Cubes
Garnish: Dusting of Crushed Cacao Nibs, Black and White Straw and Assorted Skeleton/Halloween Geegaws
Tools: Blender
Glass: Miniature Milk Bottle, Chilled (Rocks Glass would work too.) 
DIRECTIONS Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Pulse to make sure all ice cubes have been crushed. Pour into the chilled milk bottle,  garnish and serve.
* TURBINADO RICH SIMPLE SYRUP (Rich simple syrup is 2 parts sugar to 1 part water as opposed to basic simple syrup which is a 1:1 ratio.) Heat 2 parts Turbinado Sugar and 1 part water on medium just until the sugar has dissolved. Cool and refrigerate for up to 3 months. Add a tablespoon of Crystal Head and that simple syrup can last up to 6 months or longer!
An added benefit of doing this cocktail was I finally found a way to incorporate Chocovine in a mixed drink AND got to name a Halloween cocktail after the great gospel song "Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones" made popular by The Delta Rhythm Boys.


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The LA PRESIDENTE, A Female Version of the El Presidente Cocktail

The El Presidente was created during the American Prohibition at the Jockey Club in Havana, Cuba by American bartender Eddie Woelke who named it after then Cuban President Gerardo Machado. There's a great article on it by Wayne Curtis with more details here.
I think it is a perfect cocktail for an election of President's Day, but with one slight change ...

The LA PRESIDENTA Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 Oz. White Rum 1 Oz. Cinzano Bianco 1 Tsp. Grand Marnier 1/2 Tsp. Homemade Grenadine Ice
Garnish: Homemade Maraschino Cherry, Orange Twist
Tools: Barspoon, Mixing Glass, Strainer
Glass: Cocktail
DIRECTIONS Stir ingredients with ice in the mixing glass until chilled, strain into your chilled cocktail glass, garnish and serve.
VOTE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!
Updated 2-2021
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ALIEN INVASION Cocktail

This is a perfect cocktail for World UFO Day (July 2nd), National Alien Day (April 26th) and National Alien Abduction Day which is March 20th. It's also pretty cool for Halloween.
I don't know what it is about Halloween and aliens with me, but I truly believe if they ever do invade it with be on October 31st. That's if they have done any research at all. Everybody knows you can be an alien on earth on Halloween and nobody will notice you because everyone is in costume. (The possible exception would be those annoyingly aggressive Martians from Orson Wells' War of the Worlds.) Slick marauding ETs could probably even take over the White House before all the Trick and Treaters are back in bed with candy belly aches.
Plus, electric blue cocktails either say Halloween or Tiki to me. This one has touches of both. Because I'm just that twisted.
As for those invading guys, all I can say is they better keep their claws and/or tentacles off my Crystal Head Vodka or I'm going all Independence Day on them.

In Case of ALIEN INVASION  Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 1 Oz. Blue Curacao 3/4 Oz. Crystal Head Vodka 3/4 Oz. Bacardi Superior White Rum 1-1/2 Oz. Fresh Pineapple Juice 1/2 Oz. Small Hands Orgeat Syrup 3 Dashes Scrappy's Lime Bitters Ice Cubes
Garnish: Wild Hibiscus B'lure Butterfly Pea Flower Extract, Alien Gummy Candy
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Something alien looking
DIRECTIONS Chill the glass in the freezer. Fill your cocktail shaker with ice then add the other ingredients. Shake until chilled then strain into an ice filled, chilled glass. Add the alien gummy to the rim then add drops of the B'Lure down the inside of the glass or over the back of a spoon and let ot settle at the bottom, then serve.

If you really want to add some serious extraterrestrial then shave a few chips of dry ice on top just before serving. Just make sure the dry ice has dissolved before drinking.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

This cocktail is featured in my COLOR YOUR COCKTAILS Recipe and Coloring Book but here I changed it up a bit for Halloween and added the B'Lure for a bit of extra color fun then added some lime bitters to balance the extra sweetness from the B'lure's pea flower extract.

National Alien Abduction Day is March 20th, National Alien Day (Alien426 Day) is April 26th, World UFO Day is July2nd.
MORE HALLOWEEN COCKTAILS HERE


Updated 7-2021 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY